Regular stretching and exercising of the body and muscles is important to maintain flexibility, range of motion, and to prevent injury. Specifically, stretching keeps the body and muscles strong and healthy, and is a necessary addition to other exercises in order to achieve aerobic fitness and build muscle.
Failure to incorporate stretching into a regular fitness or everyday routine can cause the muscles to lose flexibility, stiffen and, in many cases, shorten. When undertaking an activity that requires muscles use, including both everyday activities such as walking or performing daily tasks or more strenuous activities such as jogging, running, exercising or working out, if the muscles have not been regularly stretched, they will be weak and unable to extend to their full potential. This can lead to joint pain, muscle damage or other permanent and serious injuries.
However, many people do not regularly stretch or exercise in that the idea of stretching on a regular basis, such as daily, may seem daunting or overwhelming. Furthermore, many people may not know how to best stretch or may want to have a device or apparatus that can help his or her stretch properly. There is thus a need in the art for a stretching apparatus that can be adjusted, modified or customized to accommodate people of different heights, weights, and stretching capabilities. The proposed apparatus can be adjusted such that a number of different stretching techniques or positions can be accomplished using the same apparatus, and that can be adjusted from easy or novice stretching levels or techniques to advanced levels or techniques. Other advantages are that the proposed stretching apparatus is lightweight and therefore easily transported or moved from one location to another, for example, into and out of a storage location, if desired.